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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (January 31, 2012)—Moved by a topic frequently making headline news, Matt Kennon (RoaDDawg Records) addresses the increasing presence of bullying through song. Sheer emotionalism compelled Kennon to write his latest single “You Had To Pick On Me.”*

Co-written with Jami Grooms and Garrett Parris, the track is a striking and honest reflection of victim sentiment; in combination with Kennon’s heartfelt vocals, it is a tune that hits the core. With the encouragement of early listeners and his friends in music, he unveiled the track.

Prompted to write the song after a candid conversation with a third-grade student, coupled with a Facebook message from a young fan who asked if Kennon had “ever been bullied,” Kennon realized the epidemic was becoming widespread and felt the call to bring the problem to the forefront utilizing the country music format as a medium.

“Country music addresses all kinds of life issues that matter; it can be the voice for love, love lost, political and social issues, and more. I wanted to address this major issue, not only among our youth, but within our entire society,”Kennon reveals.

The song features two perspectives, from both a boy and a girl, suffering from tragic and troublesome experiences and hushed heartaches as a result of harassment. The frank lyrics express the dark and silent pain of the victims. Kennon’s closing verse is the result and response; he appeals for a change and reminds listeners that some of those who are bullied feel no alternate escape from the turmoil but to take their own life.

“It’s an issue that has been a historic problem, yet very little has been done to address it. Almost daily, a news story about bullying makes national headlines,” Kennon adds. “There are so many kids, as well as grown-ups, who are targeted victims of this kind of cruelty. This song lays it out there—paints a picture—and it’s my way of drawing more attention to the problem. My message to all the victims is to say, ‘bullies don’t define you.’”

Next month, Matt Kennon takes the song to the 2012 Country Radio Seminar to share the track and his motivation to release it with major radio players. In support of the song, Kennon also reiterates the importance of speaking out, taking a stand and spreading awareness surrounding supportive events, including Pink Shirt Anti-Bullying Day on Wednesday, February 29, 2012 and Day of Pink (the International Day Against Bullying), April 11, 2012.

“You Had To Pick On Me” is not the first of Kennon’s songs to address an emotional topic. His debut single, “The Call,” broke into the Billboard “Heatseeker’s” chart (eventually reaching No. 1) and was a “Top 20” hit in 2010.Penned alongside friends Noah Gordon and Jeremy Campbell, the heavy song’s vignettes demand the listener’s attention and addresses tough subjects from suicide to abortion.

More information about Matt Kennon, including tour dates and appearances, is available at his website, mattkennon.com. The new release, “You Had To Pick On Me,” is available on Play MpE and all Internet outlets.